From Clearance Rack to CEO: David's Bridal's Tech-Driven Revival

0:00It's March 28th. Welcome in. This is Canada News Today, where local news meets AI. I'm Corey with the story. Kelly Cook snagged her wedding dress for 19 bucks off Macy's clearance rack with just $100 in the bank. She and her husband tied the knot in a hot Houston backyard with 50 guests. No frills. Now at 59, she's CEO of David's Bridal, America's biggest bridal chain, pushing it from cheap dresses to a full wedding hub for every budget. Cook started as marketing chief in 2019, climbing fast after stints at DSW, K-Mart, and Pier One imports. She's the second woman leading the company, fresh off its second bankruptcy in five years. Since taking over in April, they've launched four new revenue streams, like luxury boutiques in Massachusetts and Florida, plus a varuang deal for high end gowns up to $10,000. Brides love it, cook text them personally from her phone, pulling names from weekly reports to hear what they need. That feedback sparked expansions from under $500 frocks to couture, shoes, even honeymoon

1:04gear. Her simple wedding vibe keeps her grounded, saying every bride deserves to feel beautiful on her day. AI is the game changer with their free digital planner, Pearl, hitting 85,000 users since last summer. It helps with colors for beach weddings or full budgets over $100,000 starting next month. They've swapped the five-person team for AI like Claude to cut costs and soon you'll upload pics to virtually trion dresses. David still rocks nearly 200 stores, with top sellers getting CEO calls. Post bankruptcy, they're diversifying smart, blending old school trions with tech-like future VR wedding sims. Cook sees Brides' voice commanding their dream day, all integrated for the best deals, planting seeds for a bridal empire comeback.